Note: We know that Zack left home for midgar at fourteen. and was a SOLDIER operative by sixteen. But what happens in those two years are clouded in mystery. I bring now the first footsteps in Zack's quest to become a hero
: Reviews are awesome and appreciated to make my writing not suck. so please REVIEW thanks. And i don't own anything Final Fantasy related yadayada its all square.
"Yes you did great in the field test. But no real experience... im afraid ill have to send your application over to the infantry recruiter." The suited man set the stack of papers back down onto the desk. looking at the dark haired young man before him.
"You can't deny me. look at those scores!" he pleaded while pointing at the paper.
the man sighed. "Yes im sorry but no military experience."
"Cmon you gotta give me a chanc-" he was interrupted now.
"I'm sorry kid but SOLDIER is the best. and we can't hire on rookies with no experience."
Zack looked at him scowling. he couldn't believe he finally got here to midgar, only to be denied.
"Look, with these scores you will advance quick through the infantry." he continued. "Come back in a year after serving in the military. I would be happy to find you a 3rd class spot then." He put on a plastic smile.
Zack slammed his hand onto the table. "Okay. this won't stand in my way." He boasted. "Point me to the machine guns." he said returning the smile.
Zack stood in a long line of strong young men like himself. He was next now, approaching a man in shinra army garb, helmet absent. "Zack fair..." he said while thumbing through the small stack of paper.
Zack stood up strait saluting him. "Sir."
"Your test scores are great. The most promising recruit I've seen today." he glanced up Zack before returning his attention to the paper work. "Came all the way from Gongaga?"
"Yes sir." Zack replied again.
"That's quite a trip. how did you get all the way here young man?"
"It wasn't easy. I left a note for my parents, walked and hitched my way to midgar."
"Well that's all I need to know." he said while pulling out a piece of paper on a clip board and sliding it toward Zack. "If you just sign this we can get you in uniform and ready for service. You should read the registration first."
Zack brought the clip board up to his sight and began reading. he formed a small frown before looking down to the seated man. "Is... is the hair cut mandatory?" he said while running his free hand threw his long black hair.
"I'm afraid so, it is company policy to have your hair trimmed down before your shinra identification photo. but your free to do whatever you want with it after your first photo. and it is retaken every four years."
Zack seized the pen from the table brought it up to his paper, he stalled. "A small price to pay... I guess." He scribbled his full name down onto the line and returned the paper to the recruitment officer.
"Okay sir. if you step threw the door behind me, you can get registered immediately."
Zack nodded before walking around the table and opening the door.
Zack clenched his eyes closed tight in terror as the buzzing noise surround his ears. After a time it stopped and he hesitated to open. When he finally did he seen himself in the mirror. a noticeable fluster in his face. "aw man..." he said while placing both bare hands on his now buzz cut head.
"Stop crying and get moving. I ain't got all day." the stocky barber said while shaking his chair.
"I'm movin pops. relax." Zack said while standing up. and making eye contact with the man who just murdered his hair.
"You look much better now kid. Now get outa here." The barber said while sweeping up the mess of black hair on the ground.
"You should change your tone pops. I'm gunna be a hero someday." Zack boasted. while brushing loose hair off his recruit armor.
"A hero eh? well then ill have to keep this hair of yours in a plastic bag until that happens and sell it to some fan girl for fifty thousand gil." The barber said sarcastically.
Zack giggled at the thought. "Can't go wrong with that plan." Zack said while swinging the door open and leaving that forsaken barber shop, hoping to never return.
Zack knelt down taking heavy breaths, his face masked with the trade mark shinra triple eyed helmet. several other troops surrounded him, they had taken cover in an abandoned building. There squad attacked and sergeant killed in a wutai ambush. "Did you see all those soldiers! they had to know we were coming!" A man screamed.
"How are we suppose to fight that!" Another man yelled.
"Everyone stay calm." Zack said in a low voice while removing his helmet. "Is anyone injured?"
"Zack..." a voice grumbled from the corner where he sat. several bleeding bullet wounds covered his chest. Zack ran over to him. pulling out a light blue potion before removing the soldiers mask to reveal a mess of dark brown hair. His hand that held the grip of his machine gun was shaking.
"Alex, your gunna be ok. Drink this." he unscrewed the cap and handed it to the man before turning to the rest of the troops. "Everyone else is ok?" the silence that came after the question was his answer. "good."
"Zack..." his comrade called again. having gulped down the potion. "I think...I'm done."
"your gunna be okay Al-" he was interrupted.
"Zack... i can't get up. I can't..." the soldier coughed up a considerable amount of blood before looking to Zack.
"Don't talk like that. im gunna radio an evac now. Ill carry you to the chopper if I have to." Zack pleaded with his friend.
"Don't be stupid Zack... you seen them all. A chopper would get shot down before it could land... I've got no illusion of getting out of here alive... At least I took a good half a dozen out before..."
"You can't die Al. were gunna go join SOLDIER together remember? were gunna be heroes!"
Alex's grip on his gun loosened. "You Zack. your going to do those things... Be strong for the others." His voice submiting to a wheeze now. "Give em hell Zack." With that Alex fell back, his head hitting the wall with a notable thud as he dropped his gun.
Zack sat dumb struck for a moment as tears leaked from his eyes. He reached out to his friend, Closing Alex's eyes before standing up and picking up Al's gun and slowly turning around to the other troops, who were staring up at Zack.
"What do we do now?" A troop asked a voice full of worry.
Zack pulled out the empty clip and quickly inserted a new full one before speaking in a firm strong tone. "We Fight."